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. 2016 Apr 27;11(4):e0153713.
doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0153713. eCollection 2016.

The Value of Long-Term Stream Invertebrate Data Collected by Citizen Scientists

Patrick M Edwards  1
Affiliations

The Value of Long-Term Stream Invertebrate Data Collected by Citizen Scientists

Patrick M Edwards. PLoS One. .

Erratum in

Abstract

The purpose of this investigation was to systematically examine the variability associated with temporally-oriented invertebrate data collected by citizen scientists and consider the value of such data for use in stream management. Variability in invertebrate data was estimated for three sources of variation: sampling, within-reach spatial and long-term temporal. Long-term temporal data were also evaluated using ordinations and an Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI). Through two separate investigations over an 11-year study period, participants collected more than 400 within-reach samples during 44 sampling events at three streams in the western United States. Within-reach invertebrate abundance coefficient of variation (CV) ranged from 0.44-0.50 with approximately 62% of the observed variation strictly due to sampling. Long-term temporal CV ranged from 0.31-0.36 with 27-30% of the observed variation in invertebrate abundance related to climate conditions (El Niño strength) and sampling year. Ordinations showed that citizen-generated assemblage data could reliably detect differences between study streams and seasons. IBI scores were significantly different between streams but not seasons. The findings of this study suggest that citizen data would likely detect a change in mean invertebrate density greater than 50% and would also be useful for monitoring changes in assemblage. The information presented here will help stream managers interpret and evaluate changes to the stream invertebrate community detected by citizen-based programs.

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Conflict of interest statement

The author has declared that no competing interests exist.

Figures

Fig 1
Fig 1. Illustrates a typical sampling event using the Field method and presents two sources of variability related to citizen-generated invertebrate data.
In this example, four groups collected a total of 147 invertebrates (mean density = 36.8 per m2) from a 100 m stream reach. Participants collected three 0.1m2 D-net benthic samples from the left, center and right of a stream riffle (a). The invertebrates were composited into a plastic tub (b), transferred to the subsampling tray (c) and invertebrates from five randomly-selected cells in the tray (X) were sorted and counted. Sample-level variability is related to the process of subsampling. Reach-level variability is due to both sample-level variation and reach-scale spatial differences in the invertebrate community. Variability is hierarchically structured with sample-level variability nested within the reach-level samples.
Fig 2
Fig 2. Map of study watersheds and data collection sites in Oregon, United States.
Black circles show data collection sites. Map scale is indicated within each watershed map.
Fig 3
Fig 3. Mean taxon deviation of the Field method as a function of subsample count.
Fig 4
Fig 4. Ordinations of invertebrate assemblage at both Balch Creek (n = 6) and Clear Creeks (n = 6).
Ordinations for the Field method (triangles, n = 6) and Lab method (circles, n = 6) are shown with the corresponding Null model assemblage (X, n = 6 at each creek). Symbols represent an individual sample collected at Clear Creek (closed symbols) and at Balch Creek (open symbols). Variance explained by each axis shown in the axis label.
Fig 5
Fig 5. Partitioned invertebrate density CV for both within-reach spatial and long-term temporal citizen-generated data at Balch and Lookout Creeks.
Within-reach spatial CV was partitioned into subsampling and unexplained components. Long-term temporal CV was partitioned into environmental (ENSO MEI + Sample-Year) and unexplained components.
Fig 6
Fig 6
Ordinations for both streams (Panel A), Balch Creek (Panel B) and Lookout Creek (Panel C). Participants generated data for the ordinations by sampling the same reach biannually from 2005–2015. Season is indicated for fall (filled symbol) and spring (open symbol) samples. The two-digit number indicates sampling year.
Fig 7
Fig 7
Linear models and R2 values of invertebrate density as a function of water-year ENSO MEI at Balch Creek (Panel A) and Lookout Creek (Panel B). Sample points are represented by text with season and year indicated.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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